


For Whom the Bell Tolls

by Allerleirauh



Category: Sapphire and Steel
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Community: trope_bingo, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-31
Updated: 2013-03-31
Packaged: 2017-12-07 01:50:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/742779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allerleirauh/pseuds/Allerleirauh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s a wedding about to take place in the Catedral Metropolitana in Buenos Aires and Sapphire, Silver and Steel are in hot pursuit of the wedding rings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Whom the Bell Tolls

**Author's Note:**

> I have to thank our dear Francis I for the idea to this story. Hearing that he honestly considers same-sex marriages as machinations of the devil really made my day.

“This is preposterous!” Steel’s words and the accompanying look all too clearly conveyed the depth of his honest and righteous indignation. He hadn’t spoken very loudly, yet his voice rang out quite far, causing more than a few curious glances from a group of bystanders that were waiting for the ceremony to begin.

The high roofed ceiling of the cathedral, as well as the open hall with all its luxurious marble and sandstone carried every sound very well, making it difficult to have this last impromptu discussion that was turning more and more animated by the second.

***

In the beginning everything had started out rather inconspicuous. Sapphire and Steel had been sent to Buenos Aires to discover the cause of a large irregularity that had appeared there. It couldn’t be determined what its exact nature was, but that wasn’t exceptionally uncommon in itself. The two of them were often sent out without getting a clear picture of what was waiting them beforehand. Silver had been sent along for reasons that hadn’t been made clear to them either, but that wasn’t too unusual in itself.

It hadn’t taken them long to determine that it was a specific object, no, two objects to be precise, that was creating the irregularity. It hadn’t been easy to track them as they hadn’t been stationary for a long time.

For the briefest moment Silver had been able to see them, even touch them when he found them inside a jeweller’s shop for antiques. He hadn’t been able to secure them, however, but  not unlike to a bloodhound set on its trail, Silver had led Sapphire and Steel to and fro through Buenos Aires until they had finally arrived here, in the Catedral Metropolitana, the largest and most prominent catholic church of this city.

***

“I don’t see why it has to be me and—“ Steel paused, as if fumbling for words, “—and _him_ that have to go through with this.”

Sapphire listened patiently, all the while trying to gauge his exact level of annoyance. Long ago she had invented a scale from one to ten of ‘Things that Cause Steel to Honestly Lose it’. This one was definitely worthy of being placed somewhere in the higher margins.

_I’d give it a solid eight._ Silver’s voice merrily sounded in her mind, echoing her own thoughts. He was in on her game and always enjoyed offering his own assessments, especially when he was in any way involved in causing Steel to give them one of those looks that so clearly stated that he regarded the whole world conspiring to drive him over the brink.

Naturally, she and Silver always made sure to keep this little game of theirs to themselves and today wasn’t an exception. Should Steel ever get wind of it, she was sure he’d present them with a full-blown ten. Sapphire couldn’t help it; the idea alone made her chuckle.

“I really don’t see what’s so funny about this,” Steel said.

“Steel,” Sapphire answered, choosing her most conciliatory tone of voice. “This is a simple case of making do with what we’ve got.” Her gaze flickered towards the door, leading to the church’s side wing. Mere minutes ago they had shoved the original bridegrooms of the upcoming ceremony in there, locking them away for their own safety and making sure that they could be replaced at the upcoming wedding. “This particular ceremony is supposed to wed two men. Me assuming the place of one of them would be immediately raise unwanted questions. Hence it is only logical that you and Silver step in. That way we will create the least commotion.” She looked around them, then back at Steel. “This is after all a very public place,” she added meaningfully.

“And since it’s the wedding rings that are the cause of the irregularity, what better way to neutralize them, if not by putting them on our fingers?” Silver chimed in.

Sapphire knew that Silver was doing his best to sound reasonable. She only wished he would be able to control that slight smirk that played around the corners of his mouth a little better. She knew from experience how easily irritated Steel reacted to such tell-tale signs of Silver being amused. She drew a deep breath, inwardly preparing herself for more objections on Steel’s part, when she saw him suddenly turn very quiet. She frowned and exchanged a worried look with Silver, who looked equally puzzled.

“Steel?” she asked cautiously.

He appeared perfectly calm now and after the open discomfort he had displayed with their course of action so far, this sudden change was surprising, if not alarming.

Steel didn’t answer her immediately. Instead he closed his eyes and slowly breathed out. When he opened his eyes he looked at Silver, his face showing nothing but cool reserve. Holding out his arm, he said, “Shall we?” At Silver’s baffled look, he just raised an eyebrow. “I believe there’s a wedding taking place?” he added. It sounded remarkably like he was chastising Silver for being a bit slow.

Silver shot Sapphire a helpless look, but she could only raise her shoulders in response. She certainly hadn’t any better idea to explain Steel’s sudden change of mind.

To both of them she said. “I’ll better stay back here and make certain the original couple remains safely locked away.” She cast another look over her shoulder towards the muffled sounds of protest that could be heard behind the locked door.

“Very well,” Steel said. Again he glanced at Silver who still looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression. “Silver?” he asked.

The address finally seemed to shake Silver out of his perplexed wondering. With a bright smile he stepped forward linking arms.

Together they slowly walked through the central nave that led to the high altar. Sapphire gave them a last and slightly worried look. She still felt unsettled about Steel’s strange mood-change, but when she tried to inquire, all she got back from him was a polite and non-verbal reassurance that everything was alright and that Steel preferred to keep his mind to himself at the moment. Another inquiry, this time directed at Silver, revealed to her that despite some lingering uneasiness, he was still finding this whole business highly entertaining. To her considerable irritation though, he too felt quite unwilling to share whatever would be happening from now on.

With a shake of her head, she turned around and started walking in the opposite direction towards the locked door she was supposed to guard. Sapphire wasn’t prone to cursing; it wasn’t exactly an elemental trait. This once, however, she felt sorely tempted. Staying behind had been her own idea, and it was a sensible one. Yet, what she wouldn’t give now for a chance to trail behind her two colleagues. She was sure that Steel was up to something, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what it might be. Of one thing she was certain though: Silver was definitely in for a surprise.


End file.
